In a significant crackdown on the illegal pharmaceutical trade, the Delhi government's Drugs Control department conducted a major enforcement drive at Bhagirath Palace on Saturday. The operation targeted wholesale drug dealers who supply medicines across North India, resulting in the collection of 204 drug samples for analysis and the sealing of one establishment.
Major Raid on Wholesale Drug Hub
Officials inspected the premises of 27 wholesale drug dealers during the drive, which is part of an ongoing campaign against the sale of illegal, spurious, and substandard medicines in the national capital. The sealed shop faced action for operating without the mandatory licences, a clear violation of the Medical Devices Rules.
The samples collected span a wide range of common and essential medicines. These include drugs for managing cough, cold, fever, high blood pressure, diabetes, and allergies. Specific medicines mentioned in the seizure are Telmisartan, Cetirizine, Paracetamol, and Metformin.
Ongoing Prosecution and Minister's Directive
An official from the Health department described this as a routine enforcement activity conducted regularly. The past year has seen the Drugs Control department carry out numerous such sampling raids. In 9 instances, drug samples were confirmed to be counterfeit. "Prosecution is ongoing in court and investigation is underway in those cases," stated an official.
Saturday's operation identified over 10 firms contravening the Drugs Rules. "Necessary action has been initiated against the defaulting firms under the provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act and Rules," an official statement confirmed. The intensified action was taken under the directions of Health Minister Dr Pankaj Kumar Singh, aligning with the Delhi government's commitment to public safety.
"Ensuring the availability of safe and quality medicines is non-negotiable. We have zero tolerance for spurious, substandard or illegally sold drugs and medical devices," Minister Singh asserted. He added that strict enforcement drives and coordinated actions with law enforcement agencies will continue across Delhi to safeguard public health.
Link to Previous Major Seizure
This latest drive follows a recent joint late-night raid by the Drugs Control department and Delhi Police at a drug trading premises in Teliwara, Sadar Bazar. That operation unearthed a large quantity of counterfeit and spurious medicines and anti-fungal cream worth approximately Rs 2 crore.
Preliminary investigations from that raid revealed that the seized counterfeit medicines were being supplied to adjacent states and even neighbouring countries. Consequently, the Drugs Control Departments of the concerned neighbouring states have been formally alerted about these malpractices to ensure necessary vigilance and coordinated action.
The Health Minister has reaffirmed that such rigorous enforcement drives will persist across the city to curb the dangerous trade in illegal and substandard drugs and medical devices, ensuring only safe and effective medicines reach the public.
